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UNIT 1A: an Introduction to the Study of Christianity Theme 1

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UNIT 1A: an Introduction to the Study of Christianity Theme 1 AS RELIGIOUS STUDIES UNIT 1A: An Introduction to the Study of Christianity Theme 1: Religious figures and sacred texts (part 1) [R1] STUDENT NAME: ____________________________________ | RS/TUTOR GROUP: _______ SYLLABUS CONTENT: Unit 1: Option A – An Introduction to the Study of Christianity Theme 1: Religious figures and sacred texts (part 1) AO1: Knowledge and understanding of religion and belief A. Jesus – his birth: a. Consistency and credibility of the birth narratives (Matthew 1:18-2:23; Luke 1:26-2:40); b. harmonisation and redaction of the birth narratives; c. interpretation and application of the birth narratives to the doctrine of the incarnation (substantial presence and the kenotic model). B. Jesus – his resurrection: a. The views of Rudolf Bultmann on the relation of the resurrection event to history; b. The views of Nicholas T. Wright (N.T. Wright) on the relation of the resurrection event to history; b. interpretation and application of the resurrection event to the understanding of death, the soul, the resurrected body and the afterlife, with reference to Matthew 10:28; John 20-21; 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 1:21-24. C. The Bible as a source of wisdom and authority in daily life: a. The ways in which the Bible is considered authoritative: i. as a source of moral advice (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Luke 6:36-37); ii. as a guide to living (Psalm 119:9-16; Psalm 119:105-112); iii. as teaching on the meaning and purpose of life (Genesis 1:26-28; Ecclesiastes 9:5- 9); iv. as a source of comfort and encouragement (Psalm 46:1-3; Matthew 6:25). AO2: Issues for analysis and evaluation will be drawn from any aspect of the content above, such as: a. The extent to which the birth narratives provide insight into the doctrine of the incarnation. b. The relative importance of redaction criticism for understanding the biblical birth narratives. c. The nature of the resurrected body. d. The historical reliability of the resurrection. e. The relative value of the Bible as teaching on the meaning and purpose of life. f. The extent to which the Psalms studied offer a guide to living for Christians. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Cover Image: Cristo Salvator Mundi (Christ, Saviour of the World), El Greco Sources for Compilation: Christian Theology: An Introduction [Fifth edition], Alister E. McGrath Collegeville Bible Commentary Did Jesus Really Rise From the Dead?, N.T. Wright Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Pope Benedict XVI Kerygma & Myth: A Theological Debate, Rudolf Bultmann The Jerome Biblical Commentary Various Internet websites 2 How well do you understand the contents of this page? (circle as appropriate): TABLE OF CONTENTS Use this page to keep track of what you have covered in lessons, read, studied at home and revised as well as to locate within the booklet specific syllabus content by page number ber Read Studied Revised Attended Attended Syllabus Reference Content Topic Class Pages Made Notes Notes Notes Num Page 1A1Aa Jesus – his birth: Consistency and credibility of the birth 4 narratives 1A1Ab Jesus – his birth: Harmonisation and redaction of the birth 6 narratives 1A1Ac Jesus – his birth: Interpretation and application of the birth 11 narratives to the doctrine of the incarnation (substantial presence and the kenotic model) 1A1Ba Jesus – his resurrection: The views of Rudolf Bultmann on 18 the relation of the resurrection event to history 1A1Bb Jesus – his resurrection: The views of Nicholas T. Wright 20 (N.T. Wright) on the relation of the resurrection event to history 1A1Bc Jesus – his resurrection: Interpretation and application of 25 the resurrection event to the understanding of death, the soul, the resurrected body and the afterlife, with reference to Matthew 10:28; John 20-21; 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 1:21-24. 1A1Cai The Bible is considered authoritative: as a source of 36 moral advice 1A1Caii The Bible is considered authoritative: as a guide to living 38 1A1Caiii The Bible is considered authoritative: as teaching on the 41 meaning and purpose of life 1A1Caiv The Bible is considered authoritative: as a source of 44 comfort and encouragement Glossary Key Terms and Definitions 47 Additional Reading Record Sheets 48 Supportive Online Video Clips 51 3 How well do you understand the contents of this page? (circle as appropriate): A. Jesus – his birth: a. Consistency and credibility of the birth narratives (Matthew 1:18-2:23; Luke 1:26-2:40) The birth of Jesus is narrated at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, but is not mentioned in Mark, and alluded to very differently in John. The prologues to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the infancy narratives, make clear that Jesus was of God and from God from the moment of his conception. Matthew and Luke both begin their account of the good news of Jesus Christ with two quite different stories of Jesus' conception and birth. These nativity stories draw deeply on imagery found in the Old Testament to proclaim that Jesus, Lord and Messiah, was not simply adopted as God's Son at his resurrection, or revealed as God's Son at his baptism in the River Jordan, but was indeed the Son of God from his birth. How consistent are the birth narratives? The first two chapters of Matthew and Luke are in agreement that Jesus was conceived in Mary without the intervention of Joseph and that he was of the house of David. Common Elements in Both Infancy Narratives: • Main characters: Mary, Joseph, Jesus • Supporting characters: Angels, Holy Spirit • Titles attributed to Jesus: Christ, son of David • Heritage: children of Abraham/Israel, house of David • Place names: Nazareth in Galilee, Bethlehem in Judea • Historical period: during the reign of King Herod Closer Comparison of infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke: 1. Jesus’ birth takes place near the end of the reign of Herod the Great (Matt 2:1; Luke 1:5). 2. The names of the principal characters: Mary, Jesus’ future mother, and Joseph his adopted father. 3. Mary is a virgin engaged to Joseph but they have not begun to live together nor have they consummated their marriage (Matt 1:18; Luke 1:27, 34; 2:5). 4. Joseph is of Davidic descent (Matt 1:16-20; Luke 1:27; 2:4). 5. An angel from heaven announces the birth of Jesus (Matt 1:20-21; Luke 1:28-30). 6. Jesus is recognized as a son of David (Matt 1:1; Luke 1:32). 7. Jesus’ conception will take place miraculously i.e. through the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18, 20; Luke 1:35). 8. Joseph is not involved in the conception—unlike similar stories in the OT in which it is a barren woman who conceives though through normal means (Matt 1:18-25; Luke 1:34). 9. The name Jesus is given by the angel prior to his birth (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:31). The Greek for this in fact is strikingly similar which greatly increases the likelihood to hold on purely historical critical grounds that this tradition predates both gospels: (Matt 1:21): And she will give birth to a son and you will call his name Jesus. (Luke 1:31): And you will give birth to a son and you will call his name Jesus. 4 How well do you understand the contents of this page? (circle as appropriate): 10. Jesus is identified as “saviour” by the angel (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:31). 11. Jesus is born after Mary and Joseph begin to live together (Matt 1:24-25; Luke 2:4-7). 12. Jesus is born in Bethlehem (Matt 2:1; Luke 2:4-7). 13. The family has a house in Bethlehem (Matt 2:10; Luke 2:7—which may refer to Joseph’s ancestral home in Bethlehem rather than an “inn” or a stable). 14. The family settles in Nazareth sometime after the birth of Jesus (Matt 2:22-23; Luke 2:39, 51). How credible are the birth narratives? A close analysis of the infancy narratives shows that there are many significant differences between the Matthean and Lukan accounts, with hardly anything in common between them. There are objections to treating these narratives as literal history which make the narratives difficult to believe for some: The difficulty in trying to fit into a satisfactory time-scheme both the flight into Egypt (Matt.) and the return to the house at Nazareth (Luke) The improbable features in the story of the travelling star and the journey to Egypt (Matt) The uncertainty about the universal census under Augustus (Luke) There is no secular writing to corroborate the crime of Herod's massacre of the infants No other NT writer reveals any knowledge of the virginal conception. In the face of these difficulties about the historicity of the birth narratives many scholars prefer to see the narratives as Matthew's improvisation on the basis of OT texts, in accordance with accepted rabbinic principles of scriptural interpretation. It is significant that in Matthew the will of God is revealed in dreams, as it was to Joseph the OT patriarch; and just as the patriarch went to Egypt, so did the NT Joseph. Some scholars would recognize that as history these narratives are fragile, but would also hold that there is a core of fact on which the two evangelists have proceeded to proclaim their Christian faith about Jesus as Son of David and Son of God. This they did by showing that Jesus was the fulfilment of OT prophecy; the life, death, and resurrection were foreordained, not fortuitous. The narratives also answer the objections that Jesus was a Galilean and therefore an unlikely Messiah and that the circumstances of his birth were irregular.
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